Unbelievable to think that the boys will be back to school again next week.
Our hotly anticipated lazy, six-week holiday has been gobbled up, Gone in a merry-go-round of festivals, camping trips, days out and sports camp. It feels as though it’s ending just as soon as it began.
I don’t want it to be over yet.
I feel as though I could do with another couple of weeks, to be honest.
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The New School Year
People always used to tell me that time would fly once the twins went to school. But I couldn’t ever have anticipated just how quickly.
Because our year is now governed by school — the term times, the holidays and inset days — I kind of feel that the spontaneity, that we had when they were tiny, has gone.
Time is rigid; boxed into little compartments, in the form of terms.
We can look at the calendar and see our year all planned out — right from the very beginning.
The delicious anticipation, that I used to feel at the start of a brand new year (with very little idea when holidays or impromptu get-togethers might be), feels a little more ‘constrained’ now. For want of a better word.
A new year — pre-school — used to begin on the 1st January; these days, the new year starts in September.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m still excited to fill our ‘free’ time with good things. And get really excited about festivals and camping trips. But we all know — unquestionably — that they’ll not be happening in term time.
Back To School Prep
So, we’ve spent the last few days of the holiday doing the back to school prep. New winter coats, badged uniforms, socks, PE kit, polo shirts… the list goes on…
The boys were most excited about their new school shoes, though.
I’ve always chosen their shoes up until now; and have always gone for a Chelsea boot style. And on the last couple of occasions, this has been met with:
*adopt a stroppy tone*
‘Ohhhhhhhhhhh. I wanted the velcro shoes like Luke/Bruce/Ethan (delete as appropriate) has’.
So. Finally, I’ve succumbed.
THIS new school year, my two little man-cubs will be proudly showing off their new Start-Rite shoes, the kind that they’ve been coveting since they started school two years ago.
Back to School with Start-Rite
Start-Rite is notorious for its durable, stylish shoes.
The brand have been going since 1792 and — although foot health and quality is at the heart of everything they do — my little boys don’t really care about the expert fitting or the craftsmanship.
Nope.
They’re just interested in the rip-tape fastenings and ultra sporty look; with reflective panels and football patterned styling.
Oh — and the fact that their new Strike shoes make them run faster.
Apparently.
Measuring School Shoes at Home
But best of all, if you can’t manage to get to a Start-Rite stockist, you can now measure and fit your child’s shoes from the comfort of your own home.
There’s a simple online measuring guide and even an app.
So whilst I’ve been run ragged, trying to make sure that their school uniforms are ready in time for next week, I was able to order their shoes with no fuss or stress.
Growing Up
Amazing to see how much these little feet have grown in the last couple of years. The dinky size 8s that they started Reception with, have now been replaced with size 12s.
It looks a bit odd to see these bigger shoes, sitting in the front porch.
And they’re only going to get bigger.
One day, my size 6s will be dwarfed by a couple of teenagers’ shoes.
The boys are already beginning to look and speak in a more grown-up way.
School has been amazing for them. They’ve learnt so much in the short time they’ve been there and their teachers have done a fabulous job.
But with every new word, every new piece of knowledge and every new shoe size, my little sons are moving away from the tiny boys I once knew.
Here’s hoping it happens at a pace that’s much slower than the last six weeks!
I am working in partnership with Start-Rite and was kindly given two pairs of shoes to review and photograph for the purposes of styling this post but all thoughts, words and images — as ever — are entirely my own.
Caro Davies is a former art-director turned writer and content-creator, and editor behind UK lifestyle blog The Listed Home. She writes about home-related topics, from interiors and DIY to food and craft. The Listed Home has been featured in various publications, including Ideal Home, Grazia, and Homes & Antiques magazines.
